WTC Final | NZ reel under huge pressure as Ashwin surpases Cummins on wicket-takers' list

Bangladesh Squad: Shakib included in Test team for Zimbabwe series, Nurul Hasan makes an all format comeback

Shakib Al Hasan has made a comeback to the Bangladesh Test side after skipping the Sri Lanka Tests in favour of the Indian Premier League. Along with him, wicketkeeper-batsman, Nurul Hasan has also made a comeback across formats in the tour. Other players making a comeback in various formats include off-spinner Nayeem Hassan (Test), Rubel Hossain and Taijul Islam (ODIs) and Aminul Islam (T20Is). "Getting the best player (Shakib) in three formats is always a plus point and we are hopeful that the team will be morally boosted up by his presence. We are hoping to have a good performance from him," Chief selector Minhajul Abedin said on Shakib’s inclusion in the squad. Nurul, who last played a Test in 2018 and limited-overs cricket in 2017 (T20I) for Banglades, has made a comeback purely on his domestic form including his impressive run in the ongoing Dhaka Premier League. The 27-year-old has scored 246 runs in the nine innings of the T20 tournament with an impressive average of 41. "If you consider the present performance he deserves to make a comeback in three formats. When we took him with us in Sri Lanka team management was very happy with him with his skill set," Minhaj said about Nurul’s inclusion in the side. Uncapped Shamim Patowary, the U-19 star is the only fresh face who made his way to the squad. He has been included in the T20I team. The Test will be played from July 7 while the ODIs are scheduled on July 16, 18 and 20 in Harare. wThe three T20Is will also be played at the same venue on July 23, 25 and 27. Bangladesh T20I squad: Mahmudullah (c), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Afif Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Naim Sheikh, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mustafizur Rahman, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Shamim Hossain, Aminul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan and Nurul Hasan Bangladesh ODI squad: Tamim Iqbal (c), Mohammad Naim, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Mithun, Mahmudullah, Nurul Hasan, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam and Rubel Hossain. Bangladesh Test squad: Mominul Haque (c), Tamim Iqbal, Shadman Islam, Saif Hassan, Najmul Hossain, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mehidy Hasan, Taijul Islam, Nayeem Hasan, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam.

Lawson Naidoo appointed first independent Chairperson of CSA

After a lot of mud-slinging, government intervention and some wise decision making later, Cricket South Africa have for the first time appointed an independent Chairperson of the Board. Along with that, Steven Budlender has been appointed as the lead independent director. Naidoo, a lawyer by profession has had an illustrious career in government and politics and is currently the executive secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution. "We are all well aware of the challenges facing us in making CSA a world-class sporting organisation both on and off the field of play," Naidoo was quoted as saying in the CSA official release post his appointment. After the country’s thunderous victory in the Test series against West Indies, CSA is now committed to winning back the trust of the stakeholders, including the sponsors. "The board agreed to focus their first 100 days in office on bringing stability to the organisation and embarking on an engagement programme to gain input from stakeholders as it seeks to align everyone towards a shared vision for the future.”

WTC final | Fans ejected from ground after hurling abuses at New Zealand players

Two members of the crowd present at the Hampshire Bowl were ejected on the fifth day of the World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand. Those fans were ejected by the ground security team employed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) which said that it received reports of abuse against New Zealand players. "We received reports of abuse directed at the New Zealand players. Our security team were able to identify the culprits and they were ejected from the ground. We will not tolerate any sort of abusive behaviour in cricket,” ICC said in its statement. The ICC has not received any detailed account of what happened on the fifth day but ESPNcricinfo reported that incidents occurred in the M block of the ground and the abuses were both’ racial and general’ in nature. The latest case of racism and ejection of fans is the second such case this year after Indian players were subjected to racial abuse on the tour of Australia earlier this year. Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj was hurled abuse while fielding at the fine leg which also prompted the halting of the game for some time leading to the ejection of fans from the Sydney Cricket Ground.

WTC final | BJ Watling dislocates finger, but carries on wicketkeeping on final day of Test career

Perfectly epitomising what his role has been for New Zealand cricket over the entire length of his Test career, BJ Watling carried on keeping the wickets even after dislocating a finger on his right hand on the final day of the World Test Championship final against India. He was hurt on his hand by a Kane Williamson’s throw when Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant tried to steal a single in the second half of the first session on the final day. New Zealand had India in deep trouble with the wickets of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara early on in the day before Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant steadied the ship. However, the partnership could not last longer as Rahane was dismissed strangled down the leg side off Trent Boult to leave India reeling under pressure. Kyle Jamieson, who took a five-wicket haul in the first innings continued to be the star performer for the Blackcaps with the wickets of both Kohli and Pujara on deliveries outside off stump. Kohli was worried about the balls nipping back to him and edged one behind to BJ Watling while Pujara, too, was dismissed in a rare manner of poking outside his off stump. India had conceded a lead of 32 runs in the first innings which has turned out to be a detrimental factor in their progress on the final day of the big final.